Lewis l



L. L. SCOTT. METHOD OF IGNITING HYDROCARBONS. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 14, l9l8.

l Q, iutcllfvd June 1?, 1919.

WITNESSES:

rii

Lew s rh'soo'r'r, ors'rl LOUIS, iurssouar.

Merton or IGNITING HiznRocAnBons.

Speciiltation of Letters Patent. lPatemi-tedl June 1L7, 11919.,

Application filed February 14, 1918. Serial No. 217,263.

To all whomit may concern Be itknown that I, LEWIS L. Sco'i'r, a citizen of theUnited States, residing in the city of St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Methods of Igniting Hydrocarbons, of which the followingisa specification.

My invention relates to the burning of heavy oilswhich are practically non-volatile at normal'temperature; and has forxits ignition of heavy oils at their normal tem' perature, by electric spark.

This, invention can be used in connection with any heat absorbing medium such for example, as a steam generator used in steam automobiles. g

I have found that heavy liquid hydrocarf bon can be completely burned, without preheating, from a normal temperature condition by finelydividing the liquid fuel and mixing it with the proper amount of air to support combustio It is a wellknown fact thata completely combustible mixture of heavy hydrocarbon fuel and air at normal temperature, cannot be ignitedby an electric spark of normal size. It is also well known that afinely divided hydrocarbon fuel, such as kerosene, can be ignited at normal temperature by an v electric spark if said fuel is mixed with air in such proportion that the mixture is rich "in hydrocarbon and therefore incompletely combustible.

I am aware ofthe fact that it is old to finely divide heavy hydrocarbon fuel by atomizing said fuel with high pressure air (said mixture" being rich in hydrocarbon) and igniting the rich mixture by an electric spark, and then adding a suficient amount of air to the ignited mixture to supportcomplete combustion. I am'also aware of the fact that it is old to ignite (by an electric spark) a finel divided mixture of heavy fuel and air mixture is atomized by high pressure air,

and-to ignite a completely combustible mixo ture from the flame of said'richmlxture,

and to then shut of the rich mixture flame after a certain period of time.

Such arrangements take a considerable amount of power for their operation, because an air compressor for furnishing high ressure air is required to finely dividethe liquid fuel, and a low pressure blower 1s also reelectrical means, such as an rich inhydrocarbon) which that fuel can quired if any considerable amount of heat I 1 compared to the above mentioned methods. obJect to provide a method. of instantaneous In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1, is a diagram of an apparatus for carrying out my improved method, as applied to a steam generator.

. Fig. 2 shows another form of fuel burning apparatus for carrying out my improved method.

Referring to the drawings, 1 represents the coils of a steam generator of the semiflash type, 2 is the water inlet to the coils 1 and 3 is the steam outlet pipe. 4 is a heat insulating inclosure for coils 1 which has the combustion chamber 5 formed at its lower portion. 6 is a rotating member which is formed with the cup 7 on its outer pe- ,riphery. 8 is a central hub-which is joined to the cup ring 6 by the open fan blades 9.- The numeral 10 represents anelectric motor which drivesthe rotary member 6 through the shaft 11;; 7 Liquid fuel is supplied to the cup 7 from the fuel tank 12, in the following manner: A plunger pump'13, which is supplied with the usual check valves 14, is

operated by the motor 10 through the shaft 15, which shaft carries theworm 16; said worm 16 drives the worm wheel 17 said worm wheel 17 carries the crank pin 18, which crank 'pinfis connected to plunger "'of the pump 13 by the connecting rod 19. The suctionpip'e 20 from the pump 13 connectsto the fuel tank 1'2; the discharge pipe 21 from the pump 13 connects to a small tank 22. The pipe 23 is an overflow from the small tank 22 back to the main fuel tank 12 so that fuel will be kept at a constant level in the tank 22. The pipe 24 supplies fuel by gravity from the small tank 22 to the rotating cup 7 A solenoid valve 25 is placed in the fuel line 24, said solenoid being connected in series with the electric motor 10 so that when said motor .10 is in operation the fuel.valve,

the solenoid 25, will be open so flow from the tank 22 to the cup 7 The battery 26 supplies electric current for operatin the motor 10 and solenoid '25. The .yvire connects to the negative operated by side of the battery 26 and runs to the manually operated switch 28 and from said switch 28 the wire 27 runs to one side of the motor 10. The wire 29 is connected to the solenoid 25 and runs from the solenoid to the insulated stationary contact screw 30. The numeral 31 represents a Bourdon tube which is connected to the steam pressure in the generator 1 by the pipe 32. When a predetel-mined pressure iscreated in said Bourdon tube, said tube will move the sprin held lever 33 out of contact with the insulated screw 30. As the wire 34 connects the positive side of the battery 26 to the lever 33, the electric circuit will be broken by the action of the Bourdon tube as above described. When the electric circuit is broken, either by the switch 28 or by action of the Bourdontube, the motor 10 will not operate and the solenoid operated valve 25 will be closed, so that no fuel will flow from the tank 22 to the rotating cup 7.

The numeral 35 represents an air blower which is operated by the motor 10. The pipe 36 delivers air from the blower 35 to the chamber 37 in which chamber the member 6 revolves. It will be noted that a 'por-- tion of the air, from the blower 35 to the combustion chamber 5, passes through the center fan blades 9 (of the rotating member 6) and the balance of the air from the blower 35, passes through the space between the rotating member 6 and the wall 38. It will be seen that as the fuel flows into the rotating cup 7, said fuel will be atomized by centrifugal action and that said atomized fuel will be carried to the combustion chamber 5 by the air from the blower which passes between the rotating cup and the wall 38. It will be further seen, that if complete combustion takes place in the chamber 5- and that only a part of the air which goes to said chamber 5, passes through the atomized fuel, said mixture will be (until it meets with additional air) rich in hydrocarbon. As the additional air passes through the fan blades 9, complete combustion will take place in the chamber 5. The rich mixture is ignited by the spark plug 39 which is placed in the zone of said rich mixture. Electric current for the spark plug is furnished from'the battery 26 through a common spark coil of which 40 is the primary winding and 41 the secondary winding.

In Fig. 2, I show another form of apparatus for carrying out my improved method. The plpe 42 connects to the air blower 35 and the pipe 43 connects to the combustion chamber 5. The spark plug, fuel tanks and solenoid are the same as shown in Fig. 1. Fuel from the tank 22 is conveyed through the pipe 24 to the pi e 44 which pipe 44 is formed into a ring an is placed at the throat of the Venturi tube 46. Said pipe 44 has numerous small openings communicating with the interior of the Venturi tube 46. The numeral 47 represents a tube which is positioned inside of the Venturi tube 46 so as to divide the air passing from the blower 35 to the combustion chamber 5. A part of the air will pass through the central portion of the tube 47 and the balance will pass through the space betweenethe Venturi tube 46 and the tube 47. The tube 47 is preferably formedwith spiral teeth on its outside periphery so that the air passing between the Venturi tube 46 and the tube 47 will be given a rotary motion and will be retarded somewhat in velocity.

It will be noted that the spark plug 39 is located in the zone where a rich mixture will be produced, and that said spark plug will ignite said finely divided rich mixture, and that the air passing through the center of the tube 47 will join with the ignited mixture, which is rich in hydrocarbon, so as to form a completely combustible mixture.

It will be noted that I do not use air pressure to atomize or break up the fuel into small particles, and that I do not use a starter burner, which must be shut off after a predetermined period of operation. When a starter burner is in operation complete combustion can not take place, and there will be smoke and soot as long as it is in 5 operation. It will also be noted that the power required to atomize the fuel is very slight as compared to atomizing said fuel by air suction.

By the use of the term low pressure as applied to the air employed, I refer merely V to such pressureas will propel the air in the form of a current. In practice, this is about one-half inch water pressure.

By defining the fuel as being mechani- 5 cally finely divided and projected in the form of a spray, I refer to such action as will cause the fuel itself to be directly projected in spray form, as distinguished from 'an aspirating action, which involves acting 11 sprayed fuel, and then adding a su cient amount of air to the ignited fuel to obtain complete combustion.

2. The method of causing combustion of a mixture of liquid hydro-carbon and air at normal temperature, which comprises mechanically finely dividing and projecting in the form of a spray the liquid hydro-carbon, addlng air thereto in such proportion that the mixture is incompletely combustible, and is rich in hydro-carbon, maintaining all the sprayed fuel in an incompletely combustible state until ignition, then igniting said mixture and then adding a suflicient amount of air to the ignited mixture to obtain complete combustion.

3. The method of causing combustion of a mixture of liquid hydro-carbon and air at normal temperature, which comprises directly projecting in the form of a spray the liquid hydrocarbon unmixed with air, producing a current of air at low pressure, dividing said air current, passing one part thereof into the zone of the finely divided hydro-carbon in such proportion that the mixture is incompletely combustible, maintaining all of the sprayed fuel in an incompletely combustible state until ignition, then igniting the aforesaid mixture, and passing the other part of said air current into the zone of said ignited mixture beyond the point of ignition thereof to secure complete combustion.

4. The method of causing combustion of a mixture of liquid hydro-carbon and air at normal temperature, which comprises Inechanically finely dividing and projecting in the form of a spray the liquid hydro-carbon, producing a current of air at low pressure, dividing said air current, passing one part thereof into the zone of the finely divided hydro-carbon in such proportion that the mixture is incompletely combustible, maintainin all of the sprayed fuel in an incompletel y combustible state until ignition, then igniting the aforesaid mixture, and passing the other part of said air current into the zone of said ignited mixture beyond the point of ignition thereof, to secure complete combustion.

In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day February, 1918.

LEWIS L. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

MELBA S. STUMPF, GAIL MAGUIRE. 

